Please don't throw stones at me but I am a newbie when it comes to audio. Can you explain to me what the 5.1 CH Direct does? I have tried to find it in the manual with no success. I am using my Outlaw with a Sony DirecTV/Tivo which I just bought particularly so that I can listen to those offerings broadcast in 5.1. I know that in order to hear it in DD 5.1 I have to put it in the surround sound mode - would the 5.1 CH Direct do the same thing?

So much to learn, and so little time to do it!! Many thanks.

Bruce

The 5.1 direct is a six-channel (left, right, center, left surround, right surround, subwoofer) analog input -- six analog connections -- that is used mainly for DVD-Audio and SACD players. DVD-Audio and SACD both have to output an analog signal rather than digital due to copy protection concerns.

The DirecTV/TIVO you have should have a digital audio output (either a single coaxial - "RCA" - output or an optical output) that can be connected to one of the digital inputs on the 1050. Once you do that, the 1050 can process Dolby Digital 5.1 for you when a Dolby Digital signal is available.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Typically the 5.1 direct inputs are used for a DVD-audio or SACD player. Current copyright laws do not allow those players to output their high resolution tracks via digital outputs. You can also use the inputs for regular DVD if your player has the output. Most people use a digital (ie ptical or coax) for DVD playback.

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m-mmeyer
GO TWINS
My DVD's

Thanks very much for your replies. I am using an optical connection between DirecTV/Tivo and Outlaw so it looks like I have things set up the way I want.

The "DIRECT" input can also be used as a source input, in this case the 6.1 or DIRECT input bypasses the 1050's pre amp per say and provides a cleaner signal to the onboard amplifiers. A kind of "Line Straight" approach. I use this for my CDP's input into the 1050 because it sounds better then the 1050's DAC's vs. when I hook it up via the coaxial digital cable. So in this situation I am desperately trying to explain you can use just 2 of those inputs to run an analog source into the 1050 even though you could have used the regular analog inputs or digital input for this CDP, using the DIRECT input is a cleaner signal.

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Corey
music heals